Gautam Gambhir, the head coach for India, is scheduled to rejoin the squad in Leeds on Tuesday, just a few days prior to the first Test against England which kicks off on Friday. Gambhir had taken a brief leave to return to Delhi on 11 June due to his mother’s hospitalisation, although her health has reportedly improved since then.
While Gambhir was away, the team’s preparation was overseen by assistant coaches Ryan ten Doeschate and Sitanshu Kotak, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the India A coach. The teams engaged in a three-day practice match in Beckenham, played behind closed doors.
Reflecting on the team’s preparation, Morne Morkel shared with bcci.tv, “There’s some quality energy in this group and, you know, that’s what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident, you need to have that team spirit in the group and I think so far they have done a great job.”
Kuldeep Yadav, after the practice game concluded on Sunday, highlighted the importance of practising long spells for the bowlers, many of whom have been playing T20 cricket in recent months due to the IPL. “We’ve played a lot of T20 in the last four-five months, so volume is very important,” said Kuldeep to bcci.tv. He noted that both fast bowlers and spinners have been instructed to bowl extended overs in practice to build necessary endurance for Test cricket.
With seasoned players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test matches, Shubman Gill now takes on the responsibility of captaincy, a move that has been backed by Kuldeep. “I have seen over the last three-four sessions that Shubman has the same qualities that I’ve seen in our previous leadership groups. He’s fully ready to lead us,” Kuldeep added after the tour game.
Upon his return, Gambhir, along with team management, will need to make prompt decisions regarding the playing XI. Although it is known Jasprit Bumrah will be selectively rested to manage his workload, it remains undecided which three of the five Tests he will play.
With spots to fill following the departures of Sharma and Kohli, B Sai Sudharsan, yet uncapped at this level, and Karun Nair, making a return, are contenders. Nair recently impressed with a double-century for India A versus England Lions. Dhruv Jurel and Abhimanyu Easwaran have also shown form with the bat. The selection might be tight between seam-bowling allrounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur, as their recent form for India A hasn’t been standout.
As Gambhir resumes his duties, all eyes will be on how he plans and positions the team for the forthcoming Test series.
